


Sounds a Bit Soppy, To Be Honest

by flippyspoon



Series: Brightonverse [3]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-15
Updated: 2014-11-15
Packaged: 2018-02-25 10:37:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2618729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flippyspoon/pseuds/flippyspoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jimmy calls Thomas names.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sounds a Bit Soppy, To Be Honest

Working at the Moon Cat where Thomas was boss, or out on the pier eating fish and chips, Jimmy called Thomas all sorts of names.

 

"That’s too much vinegar, you loon! What’re you like?"

"You’re the dullest man, I ever met.  I know how to make a whiskey and soda water, I think."

"Alfred was a genius compared to you, gimme a cigarette."

"You’ve no more sense than a goat, you know that?"

There was also his habit of whispering filth into Thomas’s ear. That was out in the world.  But when they were alone upstairs in their flat, especially when Jimmy was in a particular mood, he said things that even Thomas thought absurdly syrupy.  Even after, when they lay smoking and sated, he’d mutter out of nowhere.

"You must be the smartest man I’ve ever met."

"Thank God I found you."

“Can you feel how much I love you?”

“I never knew myself before I knew you.”

It made Thomas’s brain melt into puddles on the sheets. Only he knew this Jimmy. By Jimmy’s own pronouncement, no one else would ever know this Jimmy.

One night Jimmy’s legs were wrapped around him as they sweated by the light of a hurricane candle on the table. Thomas pushed in and out of Jimmy slowly, relishing the luxury of not having to worry about anyone walking in. There was always the faint thought they were still breaking the law. What if. What if. They didn’t advertise themselves. But they didn’t worry about it all day either.

He kissed Jimmy who still tasted a little chocolatey from some ice cream earlier.

“My love,” Jimmy whispered between kisses. “My only love…”

Good  _God_. Who would’ve thought?

It had been several months now, and it was only just now fully occurring to Thomas Barrow that not only was Jimmy in love with him, but he worshipped the bloody ground he walked on. That was a shock. He hadn’t quite put the two together before.

They came together, clasping hands and afterwards Jimmy sat cross legged and naked on the bed, his knee nudging Thomas’s thigh as he smoked, heavy-lidded. Thomas lay stretched out like a lazy cat.

“You know you’re a lot of trouble for me,” Jimmy said.

Thomas rose an eyebrow. That was not the syrup he was used to these days. “How’s that?”

“You’re far too nice to me at work,” Jimmy said happily. “The other blokes notice. Not like they suspect anything. But they see you treat me different. They think you’re pullin’ favorites.”

“I am,” Thomas said. “What of it?”

Jimmy rolled his eyes and leaned forward, leaning an arm on his knee. Thomas was momentarily distracted by post-coital naked Jimmy sucking on a cigarette, his tousled hair in his eyes.

“What of it is, they don’t like me ‘cause of it. It’s fine for you, you’re the boss. I don’t blame em’ either.”

“Alright,” Thomas said and reached up to steal the cigarette. “What do you want me to do? Call you names at work?”

“Yes!”

Thomas was put out. “What?”

“Just once or twice!” Jimmy insisted. “I’ll make a drink wrong or break somethin’ and you can make a proper fuss, see? Then I can complain about the boss.  Say I’m a disgrace to barmen, I’m lucky to have this job, that I’m dumb as a post!”

“I don’t fancy callin’ you names and getting angry,” Thomas said, pouting.

“Ugh, it’s not  _serious._ I call you names all the time.”

That was different. Thomas imagined Jimmy’s name-calling was affectionate. Though he’d never said anything about it.

Thomas contemplated and sat up in bed, taking a drag. “Well, I’ll have a code then, shall I?”

“A  _code_?”

“Yes,” Thomas said thoughtfully. “If I say you’re tragically incompentent-”

Jimmy snorted.

“-that means you’re charming,” Thomas finished. “And if I say… Your pretty boy looks won’t save you bein’ sacked forever, well that just means you’re beautiful. And if I say you’re skating on thin ice, that means I love you.”

Jimmy smiled wide and fell on top of Thomas, nibbling on a nipple. “Alright. I have a code too, ya know.”

“Do you?”

“It’s not as complicated as all that.” He rested his chin on Thomas’s chest. “It always means the same thing.”

“Yes?”

Jimmy braced himself on his elbows and they dug into Thomas so that he yelped, “Ah!  Elbows!”

“Sorry,” Jimmy laughed, and instead held himself on his hands on either side of Thomas gazing down at him. “See, when I call you stupid it means my love.” He kissed the corner of Thomas’s mouth. “And when I call you loon it means my love.” He kissed Thomas under his ear. “And when I call you a silly old man it means my only love.”  He kissed Thomas’s lips.

“I ruined you.  You know that, don’t you?”

“I know,” said Jimmy. “Bloody shame, that.”


End file.
